Shielded Hearts
by Divinion
Summary: Two of Fairy Tail's most broken children are given the choice; help each other through their torment or shield themselves from more pain and heartache. Gray and Erza spend years discovering if happiness exists, protecting each other from the emotional barriers they are so desperate to cling to [Grayza... sort of?] [Jelza?]
1. X782 August 1st

**Hi Fairy Tail Fans!**

 **This is not my usual style or writing/storyline so here's a bit of a warning:**

 **This is not a Gray x Erza OTP.**

 **I hate OTP. I hate the idea of one person for one other person. Where's the drama in that? No. Just no. So this is a story about two people, who are not made for each other, may not even be good for each other, but there is a _spark_. I'll let you decide exactly what that means.**

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X782 August 1st

It was the kind of hot summer day that left the guildhall empty. During the heat, citizens became lazy and the guild board became cluttered with all kinds of jobs. While many of the wizards took this opportunity to take on requests, many felt more inclined to go outside and sunbathe or soak in the local pool. Indoors seemed to be the last place anyone wanted to be right now. The guildhall would have felt insufferable if not for the occasional shower of ice that Gray scattered through the air at the consistent request of his friends. Though it did little to cool himself down, Cana and Loke passed him cold drinks every time he fulfilled their wishes, talking and laughing between each other and vaguely discussing if they should take on a job, comparing each of their abilities to create ice with their own powers.

The Ice Mage had no reason to look twice at Erza as she entered the hall that day. He wasn't fighting with Natsu since the dragon slayer was in the middle of a three-day quest, so as far as he was aware there was no reason for the requip wizard to have any problem with him. The only remarkable thing he noticed about her was the fact that she still wore her heavy armour, the deep red blush on her cheeks telling him that she was less than comfortable in the heat. When she came towards them he thought she must have been in need of his powers too, which he would have gladly offered for free. There were precious few places for outsiders like themselves to go, even in such a loving guild, and he had felt somewhat close to the redhead over the last few years. But she did not sit, a fierce look in her eyes as she said "Gray we need to talk."

He looked up. "Talk?" he asked, surprised that she wanted to be so serious with him. "About what?"

The warrior looked flustered and didn't meet his eyes. "We just need to _talk_. Will you come with me?"

The surprise sank deeper into the ice Mage, sliding off the chair and actually feeling genuine concern. He had known Erza for many years, almost half of his life now, and he had never seen the young woman acting so vulnerable before. He was almost tempted to ask if she wanted anyone else's help, glancing back to his other friends, but before he could even speak she had wrapped her hand around his collar and was dragging him away, despite his best protests.

x

Erza held onto his shirt and didn't let go, dragging him across the town as her eyes blurred. Her fringe fell across her face, blurring her vision and hiding her blushing red cheeks. It was only from the heat, she tried to tell herself, silently rehearsing the words that she was going to say to him. She could hear his loud protests but a small smile crossed her face as she remembered he was incredibly skilled at slipping out of his clothing and if he had really wanted to he could have escaped her grasp in a second's notice. Eventually, she stopped. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she had not even seen where her feet were taking her.

As Erza dropped her friend unceremoniously on the ground she looked up, watching the water draining away from the river that they had grown playing besides, wondering why she had chosen this place. There were many memories that she held here, some of which were filled with laughter and some she held close to her chest, but the city had agreed some time ago that the river would be diverted to the west and the dry river now held barely any resemblance to the place they had once fought and played beside, the wildlife and water already diverted far from Magnolia.

Gray rubbed the back of his neck and looked out at the riverbed, seeing the small steaming puddles that were all that remained of the glorious river, remembering how they had been told that this would eventually become a road. "Why are we here?" he asked, looking up at her.

She knew it was because this place held a lot of memories that felt dear to her. She knew that somehow her feet had directed her to this place, the riverbank where she had first felt some connection to the ice maker. She knew that watching the river drain away felt like a childhood that was slipping through her fingers. Erza could never explain that to her fellow broken child, however, offering a hand to lift him back to his feet. "I wanted somewhere to be alone with you," she explained.

He let her pull him to his feet grudgingly. "What's up?" he asked, brushing himself down.

She took in a deep breath. "I've been thinking," she began, gathering all of the confidence and strength she could. "I think that it would make sense for us to date."

Gray looked at Erza blankly. He probably would have preferred her to say that there was a demon attacking the guild. "Sorry?"

Erza nodded quickly. It hadn't been the reaction that she would have expected, but she knew that it would have been quite a shock to him. "I think that it would be mutually beneficial for us both to date. I do, however, think it would be better for you to ask me, so I'm letting you know that I'll allow it," she explained, stumbling over her matter-of-fact tone.

Gray blinked. "Is this a joke?"

Erza looked genuinely surprised, tilting her head a little to the side. "I wouldn't joke about this, Gray. Besides, there's no one else around. That wouldn't be a very funny joke, would it?"

Looking around himself, Gray could indeed confirm that it would have been impossible for anyone to be watching them right now. The land was as flat as far as the eye could see and even the river had been drained away leaving no hiding places. Which made him turn back to his friend, trying to examine the look on her face and convince himself he was hallucinating. For the briefest of moments, he couldn't see the fierce monster that genuinely terrified him, but there was a young woman in front of him. A young woman that had always been in front of him, hidden behind her shields and armour. She was only just seventeen but he couldn't recall ever seeing her taking a liking to anyone, male or female. She barely seemed able to connect to anyone as a friend, never mind a partner. He gripped his hands awkwardly, knowing that stripping off at a time of this was _definitely_ to be avoided, no matter how anxious he was. "It's not very funny, no…" he said slowly.

Erza's breath caught suddenly in her chest as she looked down, a small "Oh…" escaping her lips as she realised that he had been delivering a rejection. "I see. I understand," she nodded quickly, letting her hair fall in front of her eyes again.

Gray braced himself for her anger to suddenly flare up once more, but he could see no such emotion from her. She was controlling herself, being incredibly patient and understanding. In that moment he would have preferred anger. He wanted the fierce friend to reappear and take away the young and beautiful stranger that had taken her place. "Erza," he looked at her seriously, knowing that this didn't exactly sound like a girly crush, not even an Erza version of one. "What's going on? Why are you coming to me with this?"

Erza looked up at him suddenly, her eyes sharp. "You scored highest."

He took a stumbling step back. "S-scored…? Like, you ranked us all?"

She nodded quickly, explaining. "Out of a thousand. There were several categories and it was ultimately based on who was the most balanced. Height, strength, generosity-"

"I-I really don't want to hear how you scored me…" Gray interjected immediately, knowing that it would be filled with uncomfortable truths despite his high scoring. He blushed more than he would have liked to, knowing that he was apparently Fairy Tail's most eligible bachelor, though he suspected that may have been more to do with Erza's strange view on the world than his own credibility. "Wait, how did I score compared to Natsu?" he thought suddenly.

Erza gave him a deadly glare, thoroughly unimpressed. "You're lucky I'm not changing the scores. But if you must know, you scored twelve points above him."

"Yes!" Gray took the small victory, though turned serious for Erza. "Erza, you do get how wrong this is though, don't you? You can't just score your friends like this based on how much you think that you should date them. That's not how these things work."

Erza wasn't sure she understood at all. She knew the hard shell around her heart made her emotions react incredibly differently to most people, but she had been certain that this had made sense. "The others seemed to think it was a good idea…" she murmured.

Gray felt suddenly protective, seeing Erza in front of him in a way he had never wanted to see her. She was vulnerable, she was uncertain, she was not herself and it wasn't because she was being ruled by emotion. It wasn't that he hadn't thought she was incredibly attractive, but he just couldn't imagine her being anything but the fierce and confident woman he had known. If she was coming to him with a heart instead of a mind, it might have been a different story. And hearing that someone else had led her down this path made him genuinely angry. "Others? What others?" he asked seriously.

"I had some of my friends help with the scoring. They all recommended you."

Now Gray definitely felt like he was being played for a fool, but it made him especially mad that Erza had been so clearly dragged along in what must have been some kind of twisted joke. The thought hadn't even passed his mind that his friends may have genuinely thought the two would be good for each other, and were helping Erza in her simplistic way to make sense of her emotions. "Who?!" he demanded.

A frown crossed the requip wizard's face, feeling his anger pouring from him. "It was just a game, Gray," she told him matter-of-factly as her eyes hardened and she looked at him, wisdom shining through her innocence. "I'm not an idiot, Gray. I know that this isn't the way that love is supposed to go. I'm not asking for love, I'm asking for an experiment. I chose you because I genuinely think that you understand how difficult it is for me. I just… I don't want to screw it up when I find someone that I do love without checklists and scoring."

The wind blew across the land, whistling through the rocks of the drained riverbed and whipping back Erza's hair. Gray found himself suddenly captured by the way the sunlight gleamed in her eyes and knew that they spoke more deeply to him than he would have wanted. A flood of emotion was caught in her expression, held back by her steel armour and for a moment he could feel his own emotions, frozen beneath his pain. It had hurt to hear her express her insecurities, but what hurt the most was admitting that she didn't feel that way for him, though he denied it fiercely. He had no right to be stung by the words; he had never looked at her in this way before, but he realised that he had spent most of his life fighting against feeling for anyone in this way. He couldn't bring himself to think that it was something he could ever have and knew it was better for him to live a life devoid of caring. It was even difficult for him to have friends, and he knew the exact same fears that Erza did. "You won't screw it up, Erza," he promised her.

Her lip trembled, clearly not fully believing him. "I just don't understand any of it. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, and what if it happens and I miss it and I-"

"You can't think like that…" He caught her mid-ramble, stepping forwards and putting a hand on the back of her neck, daring to pull her closer. His eyes met hers and refused to let go, hoping his cold reason would seep through her fears. "You're going to be amazing to someone, Erza. You're beautiful and you're kind and anyone would be lucky to have you. If they're not patient enough to find that, they aren't worth you."

Erza's eyes glittered, looking between his as she felt her heart unexpectedly racing in her chest. He had instantly jumped up thirteen more points, she decided, though she found herself finally understanding why she shouldn't be caring about numbers. Her friends had laughed at her scores and though they had been there to help, their reasons had gone beyond anything she could quantify. Even after all of her calculations she had altered Gray's scoring higher because, though it should never have been an advantage, there was something strangely alluring about how he was broken, just like she was. She leaned forwards and pressed her forehead against his, soaking in his coldness, a blissful respite from the day's burning heat. "I won't tell anyone about this…" she whispered, because she knew that it would be important to him.

He did appreciate it, but not so much for his own sake as he was worried that people would make fun of Erza and try to push her into a relationship she clearly wasn't ready for. He wrapped his arms over her back, pulling her against his chest though he could feel her tense at his touch. He was determined that he didn't hold her because she was weak, but because together they could be stronger.

She found herself shivering under his touch, colder than she had expected in an embrace. She had been held before, but no one had ever made her feel secure in their arms in this way. She felt more like a child than she ever had throughout her troubled childhood, and blushed deeply. She gripped his shirt, reluctant for him to let go, knowing in a second he had simultaneously made her want him and pushed her away. "I hope you're not a hypocrite, Gray…" she said slowly, reluctant to lose the contact with him but still itching to stop leaning against him.

His hands brushed her arms, surprised by how much he was enjoying this. He knew that he couldn't bring himself to actually let her go through anything as real as a date, but he could test his own experiment with her for just the briefest moment. After all, she had already agreed that this moment wouldn't go further than the riverside and he too understood how important it could be to share a simple embrace. "How do you mean…?" he dared to ask, though he knew he would regret hearing the answer.

She blushed. "You scored highly…" she said, somehow finding it even harder to look at him. "That might have been numbers and it may not mean a lot to you, but everyone knows that you're a great guy. And you've been just as alone as I have."

He frowned, unwilling to admit his own weakness even if he could clearly see hers. "I've had girlfriends," he muttered defensively.

"You've had girls," Erza corrected him. "You've had experience. I wouldn't exactly call any of them partners…" she told him, more observant than Gray would have liked. Just because she didn't understand her own emotions didn't mean that she was oblivious to everyone else's. "That was one of the reasons I chose you."

He flinched, though unsure why that stung so much. "You're saying I'm a man-whore?" he half-joked.

She frowned at him, perfectly serious. "Gray, the longest relationship you've had was a week – and that was because you thought Natsu was after the same girl. I've seen your type; ditsy, oblivious and self-obsessed. Most of them only want to say that they've dated a Fairy Tail Mage," she told him, knowing that she had barely glanced at any of his conquests knowing that they wouldn't go any further than a single date. He had been this way for years, but since Loke joined the guild a few months earlier the two together had been a terrible influence on each other. For what the ice mage lacked in skill, the ring mage more than made up for and teamed together they were already building quite a reputation. "You're very good at picking disasters. I thought that maybe you would appreciate an experiment too…" she said, truly wishing that he would at least consider dating someone seriously, if not her.

"I don't care about any of them," Gray admitted gladly, knowing that there had never been anyone that had caught his interest in more than just a passing curiosity. He was able to admit to himself that he was lonely, at least, even if he couldn't bring himself to cling to anything that lasted. "I wouldn't want to hurt you," he felt truly, knowing the more he saw Erza in this way the more he wanted to protect her from people like him.

"I can take it," Erza said, but immediately bit her lip. She hadn't wanted to sound desperate but had now seemed to shoot herself in the foot. "I mean- I- I would have been able to take it. I'm prepared for it," she tried to explain.

He gave a heavy sigh, knowing that she couldn't truly understood how _not_ ready she seemed to him. It was as if all of their conversation, all of their soft words and tender touches had only ignited a childlike fascination within Erza and he knew she was going to be burned. If he was being honest, if he was being as kind as he had wanted to be, he would have said there and then that he was willing to be her trial. He would have taken her for a meal, maybe even a goodnight kiss, and shown her what it could be truly like. But to him this wasn't what love was. Love was opening your heart and letting it get ripped out. Love was something you had to protect yourself from. Love was a harsh lesson, and simply impossible for the broken children.

And then Gray's hand was on her face, leaning close as he pressed his lips against hers.

Her eyes went suddenly wide, fighting the instincts to suddenly break away. Now she could feel warmth from him, eventually, and her heart beat so quickly it felt like it would burst through her rib cage. Quickly she remembered she was supposed to be closing her eyes, and did so, realising it only awakened her senses.

As quickly as it had begun, it had suddenly stopped and she was left standing, a blank look on her face and trying to keep her legs from turning to jelly. Gray's hands were back in his pockets, his expression unreadable as he had taken several steps back from her. "You see?" he said, his words pulling her from the haze of emotions that clouded her expression. "It's just nothing without feeling it."

Erza's mouth went to open, to tell him that she actually had felt it. She'd felt her heart racing; she'd known her first kiss hadn't been wasted. There was a sudden fear rushing over her, wondering if she'd done something wrong; had her eyes been open too long? Gray was turning away from her, as if his lesson had been taught and yet she was left even more confused, though now there was a feeling of hurt. He had certainly given her an experiment, a tiny glimmer of what heartache could feel like and enough for her to realise that her heart was supposed to be locked away tightly. A small smile crossed her face through the confusion, knowing that this was the true lesson Gray had taught her, knowing that if she was ever going to let her emotions out it would be for the right man. "Thank you," she whispered to him, watching him pause for just the briefest of moments before walking back away.


	2. X791 August 25th

X791 August 25th

From both separate archways, Gray and Erza rushed backwards blindly through the aqua duct, oblivious to each other's presence until they crashed straight into one another. They both gasped as they almost fell straight into the water, Gray's hand quickly outstretched as he created an extra step made of ice across the canal. Erza grabbed onto his jacket as she almost slipped on the sudden floor, her face burning bright red at the uncharacteristic clumsiness. His other hand reached to her, however, steadying her as he moved them both back to the solid ground. "Where are you going so quickly…?" he asked her, a little concerned by the lack of observation from the redheaded woman.

A flustered growl left the warrior's mouth as she dared to look out of the tunnel into the bright sunlight, tucking her brilliantly scarlet hair behind her ear. "I'm getting away from everyone," she explained. "Clearly no one understands what a _girl's choice_ ball means…" she breathed angrily. At first she had been able to take all of the attention gladly. As soon as the Mermaid Heel guild had announced the annual Girl's Choice Ball would be welcoming wizards from across all of Fiore, most of the women had been excitingly scouting out their prospects, but it hadn't taken long for the men of Magnolia and other guilds to become desperate, realising that all of the incredibly attractive women of Fairy Tail were quickly being taken. While she would have usually been able to push them back with her fierce personality, there was something in their eagerness that had made so many of them temporarily immune to her frightening persona.

Gray looked amazed, not only at the fact that anyone had acted so boldly towards her but also that Erza seemed so flustered. Even as she was now, even with all of the years of friendship, she still had a terrifying aura around her. He couldn't understand her position, however, glancing out past her to see if he could see his own assailant. "Well… _someone_ understands it clearly…" he said, keeping his eyes peeled for a flash of blue across the grey stones.

Erza glanced up at him, surprised to see that he seemed to be hiding exactly the same way that she was. "Hasn't Juvia asked you yet?" she asked him, remembering how as soon as the Girl's Choice Ball had been announced he had been conveniently absent.

A dark frown crossed his face, knowing that there would be no easy way to escape this fate. "That's exactly what I mean. Luckily, she hasn't found me yet…" he grunted, clearly trying to stay in the shadows and keep that fact preserved.

Erza had a look of confusion across her face, though inside it was one of disappointment. For years she had watched the two friends grow closer and always wished that she could see them both happy. Happiness seemed in short supply to the Ice Maker, after all. "Don't you want to let her ask you, just once?" she suggesting gently, wishing that she could shake some sense into him. "You might find that you enjoy it. She's very sweet, Gray."

Gray's back hit against the cold stone of the underpass, sliding down onto the floor and sitting in the darkness as his shirt slipped open. "If I go with her then she'll be planning our marriage in no time…" he groaned, shaking his head and knowing that she probably already had the entire day planned in her mind. "I know that she's sweet. She is actually a nice girl, I know that, but I care about her too much to just play her along."

Erza's lips turned thin, glad that the darkness was there to hide her expression. She walked around him, her requip Magic spiralling around her body as she swapped back into her familiar heavy armour. The stiff metal resting against her chest gave her comfort, just as she glanced through the shadows to see he was given comfort with the lack of clothing, though she failed to understand how someone could be at ease without a shield. Then again, she was familiar enough with the ice maker to know that his armour was deep inside his chest. It was a surprise that he was even able to speak so openly to her about something as personal as emotional bonds. In that realisation, the requip was reminded of the conversation by the drained river, blushing as she realised she had not thought about that moment for years. Juvia's emotions were far wilder and more passionate than Erza's ever could be and there was no denying that the rain woman would need to be treated with far more care. Eventually, in danger of becoming lost in her thoughts and memories, Ezra leaned against the wall beside him, refusing to sit but close enough to touch his bare skin if she'd only reached out. "Do you actually like her, though?" she dared to ask.

Gray shook his head with a heavy sigh. "Not in that way. I don't think I can even start to think that way about her, not when she's so demanding…" he admitted, a pained edge to his voice as he obviously felt like a monster for even describing his lack of attachment.

Erza could understand that, even if it saddened her. Her eyes squinted through the darkness, thinking carefully of everything she had done for Juvia. Erza had been a good friend to her, inviting her along whenever she had the opportunity and trying to help her reach out to Gray, particularly on the painful day of his master's anniversary. Erza had to admit that while she had done everything in her power to try to help set Juvia and Gray up together, she'd completely forgotten the lesson that he had tried to teach her all those years ago. Compatibility meant nothing if their hearts simply weren't in the right place. Jellal had taught her the opposite. He had taught her that when two hearts connected it would take everything in their power to not break down every wall and resistance, but both men in her life taught her that emotions were painful.

She paused, staring into the darkness and feeling her metal armour pushing comfortingly against her skin. She felt protective of Gray, as she felt protective of all of her nakama, and hearing him in distress at just the idea of a date with the rain woman filled her with doubt, knowing she was partly to blame for Juvia's frightening eagerness. "Then come to the ball with me," she said eventually.

Gray lifted up his head, not quite sure if he'd imagined the words. He glanced up at her, trying to catch her expression but finding it nearly impossible in the shadows. It sounded so much like a dream, a distant memory of two – no, nine – years previous. "Go with you?" he asked, once again expecting it to be a joke.

Erza smiled and leaned down to his level, no longer the young and innocent child he had held by the riverbank. "You want to avoid Juvia, don't you?" she asked him, "I'm probably the only one in the guild that she wouldn't dare attack for asking you."

"I wouldn't be convinced…" he grumbled. Though he was confident Erza would be able to hold herself up in a fight he wasn't sure what it would do to their relationship. She sounded confident, however, and he was certainly desperate. She, too, seemed to be eager to find someone trustworthy to take with and fight the men searching for her hand, but there was a question he hesitated to ask. "What about Jellal?"

If anyone but Gray had asked that question she probably would have fiercely denied it, no doubt with the promise of violence. She knew he was too observant to believe any of her denials, however, and in that moment she didn't want to be anything but honest with him. She frowned to herself, realising that it would always be the burning question. It was truly cruel for the ex-con to have left her the way he did, with the best of intentions and a lingering promise of a better future, knowing that she could never truly be with anyone else without that thought on the back of her mind. He hadn't let her move on, he'd just denied to her what she truly wanted. "He couldn't come to a ball with so many prominent wizards…" she excused, although she suspected that if she'd been able to tell Jellal that she would choose Gray instead, he'd find a way of reuniting with her. "So what do you say?"

Gray thought carefully, knowing that he was the second choice by quite some distance, though he respected Erza for not attempting to hide this from him. He wondered for the briefest of moments if she was to re-score them what kind of difference they would reach. His own memories flickered back to those years ago by the changing river and the way that they had been. Though they had both been careful and kept the moment a secret, the closer that they got, the more the memory crept back into his mind and the more he found himself comparing their present relationships to the two broken children that had held each other. As Erza's heart grew stronger he could feel his own growing weaker and colder, and Juvia was a convenient barricade to prevent letting anyone else inside. He could only use her if he could distance himself from her, however, and agreeing to an actual date with the rain woman would be taking their strange relationship further than he was willing. "I don't have a choice, do I?" he smirked.

Erza smiled, knowing that meant yes. "No, not unless you pick Juvia," she told him, a warming smile spread across her face. "Wear something nice and pick me up from Fairy Hills. In fact, just wear _clothes_."

* * *

 **Hey Fairy Tail Fans :)**

 **Sorry, I'm clearly not much of a Gruvia fan, am I? In this stage in the manga, Gray is very adamant he's not in love with her though, but this kind of develops as the story goes on. A little.**

 **This is mostly just an intermediate chapter to bring us onto the Girl's Choice Ball. So far this chapter is 2/4 chapters, and while I would like to write more I think it may depend on how the current arc goes unless I can think of any other key moments I want to write about.**

 **Anyway, enjoy, and thanks for the reviews! I do love them all 3**


	3. X791 August 28th

**Warning; You may not agree with many of the pairings in this chapter. Just remember, just because they've taken each other on a date in this chapter does not mean that they're actual pairings in my head. I've already stated how much I hate OTPs. Please don't get mad.**

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X791 August 28th

The evening of the ball rolled in, sweeping the country into a comforting darkness, a bright red light gleaming across the horizon as the sun prepared to dive into night. Gray looked up at the gates of Fairy Hills, uncertain what he was supposed to do to get the requip mage's attention. He knew that Juvia would also no doubt be inside and though the rain woman had been made aware of the situation he didn't want to have to explain once more to her face. He also knew that any man that dared come close to Fairy Hills was running a huge risk to their safety.

A relieved sigh left his lips as he saw Erza stepping out of the door, but the more he saw of her the more his eyes grew wide. The woman looked stunning. She wore a jet black velvet dress, gleaming with tiny diamonds that rivalled the night sky's own stars. The straps pulled into a halter neck that complimented her curved yet athletic figure, stopping low at the base of her back. Bare skin traced the curve of her back, running up to the line of her scarlet hair, pulled high with tiny curls wisped across her high cheekbones. Long black elegant gloves were pulled high, stopping just before her Fairy Tail mark. Her eyes dazzled, obviously enjoying being able to wear the feminine outfit. Over the years she had finally become more confident to take her armour off from time to time and though she still pined for it she was at least now able to appreciate the beauty of dresses.

As she looked at him, a smile crossed her face as she was equally impressed with his choice of outfit. He had come clothed, though she would have to see just how long that would last, and he was looking wonderfully smart. Somehow he seemed to compliment her outfit without even knowing, and as she stood beside him they almost looked like a real couple. Definitely an extra twenty points, not that she was still counting. A blush crossed her cheeks. "Thank you for taking me," she told him.

"You look incredible…" he said, actually amazed. Even since their encounter two years ago it was rare that he would see Erza as a woman and not a leader, warrior, terrifying creature, or even just a friend. He almost saw her as 'one of the guys', even when she was in her most beautiful of armour, because it felt impossible to think of her in any other way. But now it was impossible not to see her beauty, her curves, the blush on her cheeks.

She blushed more, not quite meeting his eyes. As she looked away she could see tiny droplets dampening the ground. Putting out her hand, she began to feel rain sinking through into her thick gloves, looking up and seeing sudden dark clouds growing in the sky. She had been certain that it had been clear skies before. She glanced back over her shoulder to Fairy Hills, seeing a wisp of blue hair disappearing back from the doorway as the rain suddenly began to pour heavier. Juvia. She frowned. She had hurt the girl more than she'd expected to just by trying to look out for Gray and it would certainly take some work to try and recover their relationship. While Juvia was normally kind she could be brutal to her rivals, though she suspected the sudden downpour was not intentional.

Gray twisted his hands, the icy magic growing and forming quickly. An elegant bright blue umbrella materialised covering the requip wizard's dazzling outfit quickly just as the heavens opened. "I suspected something like this might happen," he said. The ice umbrella had been something he'd practising ready for a day like this.

The ice crystals fractured the stars above, showering Erza in a million colours as her eyes widened, smiling. "I've always thought your magic truly is beautiful," she commented, taking the cold creation in her own hands and knowing that she had been wise to choose thick gloves. She had remembered just how cold he could be. As she took the blue umbrella in one hand she moved her other hand in front of her, gesturing for him to take her own.

He had barely noticed that he had somehow stayed dry despite not being under his own creation before Erza looked pointedly to her own umbrella that she had conjured for him. The handle looked like a katana hilt and the shaft was so wide and oddly shaped he suspected that there may have been a weapon concealed in there. He smirked. "Don't you have a limited number of spaces you can fit these weapons into?" he asked, gladly accepting his gift.

She shrugged, slipping her arm into his and beginning to walk away in the pouring rain. "It comes in useful from time to time," she admitted, already feeling that this 'date' was going to a good start.

* * *

As Gray and Erza walked into the ballroom, the dazzling display of inter-guild joy flooded through the air. Though many had stayed within their own guilds or towns for their partner choices, the groups of people talking were from all corners of Fiore. Mermaid Heel members mingled in between everyone, each of them gladly with their own first pick of partners but making the most of talking to as many new friends as possible. This had been an annual event for the all-female guild, but this had been the first year that they had decided to open their doors to the rest of Fiore and the huge hall and gardens were overflowing with people.

Despite the crowds, Gray and Erza had not been unnoticed. There had been glances and stares from all wizards of all guilds, and even some of the Sorcery Weekly team that had been desperate for the latest scoop. The two did their best to ignore them, offer polite smiles and shrug their shoulders, and luckily there were many other unusual couples that were quick to take the spotlight.

Levy looked up over the crowds, spotting the familiar pair from her guild with a certain curiosity. "Oh, Gray and Erza have come together?" she mentioned, clearly surprised and though she wasn't usually one for gossip she was interested to see the reaction from her friend.

The blond beside her looked back at the doors, watching the new couple walking back into the hall. "Huh…" Lucy said slowly, genuinely surprised not only that they had come together but that neither of her close friends had mentioned that they would be each other's date. It had all been incredibly rushed, but she had been the one to help Erza to pick her outfit and the requip wizard had kept her mouth decidedly shut about who she was taking. Lucy had assumed this meant it would be the Crime Socerie mage, as she would have had to have kept his true identity a secret if he was coming to such a public. She had never thought that it could be another member of their close group. "I thought that Gray would come with Juvia…" she noted, wondering where the rain woman was and just how she would react seeing a new romantic rival.

Levy leaned in closer, a small smirk on her face. "And I thought you'd come with Natsu?"

Lucy jumped back, her face quickly turning a colour that rivalled Erza's hair. "What-What? It's not like that!" she gasped. In truth, she had wanted to ask the dragon slayer, but she had taken some time coming to that decision and while she had been battling with herself, Lisanna had asked her childhood friend. Instead Lucy had somewhat reluctantly allowed Loke to escort her, pleasantly surprised that he had kept himself available for her and surprised at how excited she had been by this. "Besides – you and Gajeel?!"

"I-I-…" Levy stumbled, shivering. "I didn't want to upset Droy or Jet by choosing one of them and not the other…" she excused feebly, her own face going a dark shade of red itself.

Lucy grinned, knowing her friend all too well. She wasn't fooling anyone, and Lucy couldn't help but find something about their relationship adorable, almost like the romantic stories she had become to enjoy writing so much recently. "But then, I would have expected Gajeel to be Juvia's second choice since they were good friends in Phantom Lord…" she muttered quietly, trying to think of what might have happened to the rain woman. She considered going to Fairy Hills to check if she was alright, about to suggest the idea to Levy as the door opened once again.

The rain woman stood in the doorway, a determined look on her face as she stood next to the ice mage. Not _the_ ice mage, but an ice mage all the same. Lyon had been happy to accept Juvia's request, over the moon in fact, but he now had a deep hatred towards the man that had originally turned her down. He couldn't understand Gray's motivations at all, and while he was glad that he had been able to step in and take the rain woman on the date he had dreamed of since they met, he wanted to strangle his adoptive brother for allowing such a match to have ever happened.

Inter-guild coupling always gained the biggest reaction from the crowds as they watched Lyon and Juvia glide into the ballroom, and it hadn't taken long for Gray and Erza to notice their new rivals. "What the hell are they playing at?" Gray murmured under his breath, holding his fists tightly.

Erza smirked slightly. She was actually glad to see the new couple as she had been worried that Juvia would have spent the entire evening wallowing in her own pity and rainclouds. Watching the pair, she wondered why she had never seen the two together before, amazed at how well they seemed to fit beside each other. "I thought you said you weren't interested," she jested carefully towards her partner.

"I'm not," Gray hissed.

Erza nodded, knowing that there was no point in trying to get any more out of him than that. Gray and Erza had a way of communicating without words, from years of battle and many more years of hiding their true intentions. They had learnt long ago that what was said didn't always reflect what they actually felt, not usually because they were lying but mostly that they were shielding each other from worry and pain. She could see now that he was once again shielding himself from troubling emotions, empathising with his lack of empathy. "Would you like to dance?" she asked him, deciding if they were going to rival the ice and water couple then they would need to up their game.

He snorted. "I don't have a death wish."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "I'm an excellent dancer."

He tensed, realising not only was she serious but also that this would be fully expected of him. In a normal ball it would probably be considered rude to not accept his date's request to dance, but in a Girl's Choice Ball surrounded by fierce female wizards he knew it was probably as much of a death wish as the dancing itself. He sighed. "Will you at least let me lead?" he asked her cautiously, wondering how many other people could easily get hurt in the process of her violent dancing.

"I always do," she protested.

"No, you don't," he pointed out to her, knowing that he probably had some scars to prove it. He put out his hand, letting her slip her warmly gloved hand into his. "Just try to trust me. Try to follow what I'm doing."

She blushed, deeply offended that he was insulting her dancing before they had even gotten to the dancefloor. She was a _wonderful_ dancer. She was filled with determination that she would prove this to him now, walking over to the dancefloor with her clicking high heels and watching all of the beautiful couples already in each other's' arms. She was so lost as she watched them spinning that she barely noticed Gray had stopped in front of her, holding out his hands for her to come into his hold. She took a cautious step forwards, staying a little further back from him than she probably should of as her body tensed. She would be an excellent dancer, she would show all of them that she was an expert in this as well as her fighting skill.

"Just trust me," he whispered to her, his hand slipping onto her side.

She blushed against her will, unused to anyone touching her in this way. She didn't want to trust him, she wanted to prove herself to him. She told herself that she would let him 'lead', if that was what he really wanted to do, but only for a moment before she could show off her true skills. Gently she tried to move her feet in time with his, making herself angry as she realised that it was much much harder than it had looked, and the timing was painfully slow.

"You're doing great," he said, a little surprise lingering in his voice.

She looked up at him, realising that his eyes were actually dazzling with pride. As she looked around herself she realised that she was keeping the same timing as the rest of the dancers around her, and that she was actually blending into the beautiful couples on the dancefloor. No one else was spinning people quickly or trying to push up the tempo to ridiculous speeds, and she realised that he may had been right to ask her to trust him. She frowned deeply.

"Are you enjoying it?" he asked, a little playfully as he could sense her discomfort.

"No," she snapped. "It's too slow."

Gray smirked, realising that an actual slow dance may be thankfully off the cards for some time. The music started to slow to an end and he let go of her, giving her the traditional bow as the dance finished and taking her arm to take her back from the dancefloor, amazed that he had escaped that ordeal with his life. Not only had he escaped, but he'd actually found that he was enjoying it a little. The way that people looked at them still made his skin crawl, and the terror that this night would end in a disaster for his friend had never left him, but at least for a moment he could start to make the most of it.

* * *

As the night wore on the laughter grew and the guilds bonded between one another like never before. It was not only a great celebration of partners but also one of all wizards combined. There were many dates which had crossed over different guilds, mostly due to Mermaid Heel being comprised entirely of females and taking full benefit of their self-granted power and quickly stealing most of the eligible bachelors. There were few complaints but even if there had been it soon became clear that everyone was taking the chance to talk to one another regardless of any previous alliances. It had actually been the perfect way to ensure that everyone had the opportunity to speak to someone that they normally wouldn't consider and everyone was eager to take part. Even Juvia and Lyon bonded over their bitterness, both determined that whatever Gray and Erza did they would have to do it better and partying into exhaustion. Gray only had to shake his head in despair, even as he noticed Juvia was moving in time with her new partner, just the same amount of crazy between them. If only they could see that, he thought to himself.

Even as darkness fell further onto the night sky the party showed no signs of stopping. Erza had decided that the stars were worthy of an audience, slipping out of the French doors and stepping onto the balcony. She smiled up to the moon, feeling the soft glow of the full moon and starlight wash over herself and the calming crisp cold sink into her skin. Even next to the ice mage the room had been roasting hot with so many people around and so much alcohol to press a blush against her cheeks.

"It's a beautiful night," Gray commented slowly as he caught his breath, leaning over the banister and looking out to the mysterious shadows below. He was obviously appreciating the cool air even more than the requip mage though he had been reluctant to leave the warming atmosphere.

Erza nodded gently, glancing back to her date and rolling her eyes. "Gray!" she scolded him quickly, picking his shirt from the floor and pushing it back into his hands. She had to admit that he had been impressive to have remained clothed for so long, and while she told him off there was a playful gleam in her eyes, possibly induced by the alcohol.

He murmured an apology, pulling the shirt back across his shoulders though he was reluctant to. Despite what most of his friends may have thought, he hated the idea of being naked in public, but the evening had been almost unbearably warm and the crisp white shirt had been stifling. He would rather that then face Erza's wrath, however, a warm glow on his cheeks. "Have you had a good night?" he asked her, realising that they were actually alone now, wondering how the pair had somehow ended up secluded in such a busy night.

Erza beamed, gripping onto the side of the balcony and leaning back to him. For a moment she looked incredibly feminine, not only in the way that she wore her hair or filled her beautiful dress but with the girlish charm and the ruby blush across her cheek. "It's been wonderful so far," she told him. "Thank you for agreeing to come with me."

He shrugged, absently realising that now he had his shirt he had no idea where his jacket had got to, or his tie for that matter. "You were the one who bailed me out," he admitted.

Erza smirked, looking back through the French doors and trying to get a glimpse at the people dancing. She was surprised to see that Juvia still hadn't noticed that they had disappeared, though she didn't want to see her reaction when she realised that Erza had dragged her beloved into privacy. "Ah, of course. You know that I'll always be there to protect you, Gray, whatever you need," she smiled eagerly.

Gray raised an eyebrow, realising that she was being far more sentimental than he had seen before. "You're drunk," he observed, trying not to be too offended that she had been drinking beyond reason while in his company and preparing for the potential of protecting her from herself. He did remember Christmas, after all, even if she didn't.

"I think we should dance my way now!" she announced.

"What?! No!" Gray shouted out, suddenly fearing for his life.

She pounced forwards, trying to take both of his hands and pull him into the energetic spinning, but before she could get a hold of him she found her feet give way underneath her and she stumbled forwards. Her cheeks went bright red as she was once again in his arms, the way a date rightly should be, memories of being kissed suddenly flooding back to her through the haze of liquor. She forgot what she was supposed to be doing, forgot that she was going to drag him into a dance, forgot that this entire date had been one friend giving a favour to another. "I've had a really good night, Gray…" she whispered, shivering a little from the cold under his fingertips. "You know you should be giving me your jacket about now…" she scolded him, realising he was very much not acting like the gentleman that she had been promised by fairy-tales.

"I, uh, have no idea where it is…" he admitted, reluctant to let her step any further back from her in case she fell.

She smiled. "Of course you don't," she said softly, though something about how familiar that was made her smile even more. Unexpectedly the reminder that it was Gray in front of her did not bring her out of the fantasy but instead seemed to secure it in place, letting her drift into the girlish imaginations of a knight in shining armour taking her to a ball. It seemed so ridiculous that someone like Erza could have even thought that way and while the image had been _slightly_ different, in the heart of it was a dream that she had never dared come true, especially not with her best friend as her leading male.

Gently she turned, her eyes blurring as she did so and catching her breath. Suddenly she was sobering, realising as she stepped away from Gray that they were not alone. In the commotion of wizards, dancing and alcohol somehow a figure draped completely in shadows had managed to make his way through the ball and directed onto the balcony where Gray and Erza stood. Her heart skipped a beat, watching in anticipation as he pulled back the bandana and headscarf and revealing his blue hair. "Jellal…" Erza breathed, looking at him in disbelief.

He didn't give a smile. He looked between Gray and Erza for a moment, knowing that it was clearly not his place to say anything but also knowing that it hurt more than he could have ever admitted. She seemed happy, he had to admit, knowing that for the redhead it meant more than most. "I was told you'd be here," he explained, desperately trying to latch onto the reasons why he had wandered into the ball other than a burning jealousy he had no right to bear.

Erza nodded. "But how are _you_ here?" she asked him sharply, fear lacing her voice as she glanced behind her at the faces of guild-members from across the continent. At least a few of these people wanted him dead, she knew in her panic, wishing that she could at least pull the scarf back across his face.

Gray took another step back, a frown on his face. He neither knew nor cared why the blue haired mage was here, and suspected that even if was given an answer it would be something that would be entirely logical and nothing at all related to wanting to be beside Erza on this night, the complete opposite of his true intentions. Gray had to admit that they were perfectly suited for each other but the happiness he had in this realisation twisted something painful in his stomach at the same time, something he refused to admit existed. He nodded an acknowledgement to Jellal, stepping back and letting him fill his place, knowing that he had only ever been borrowing it in the first place. This night had always been made for Erza and Jellal, just like many nights to come. "I'll leave you to it," he murmured, giving Erza a look as he slipped away from the balcony.

Though Gray's expression had been one of acceptance, Erza hadn't been able to see it. She watched him leave, realising that it had felt amazing to be in someone's arms and not have to watch the rest of the world. Now as she looked at Jellal there was concern, there would always be a fear, but she couldn't deny that it was worth it. For every moment she'd enjoyed in Gray's arms she had spent ten more imagining this night with Jellal, she had felt her heart lifted as he had walked through the door and wanted nothing more than to dance with the new partner. She knew if he was here in the public eye it would be serious, however, and there would never be a time for just a dance. A frown rested on her face, trying to remain logical despite her intoxication, latching onto every word he said and trying to translate as she thought about how she could explain to Gray later.

* * *

 **Gushy, cheesy, and when I was editing I had my housemate ask me several times what I was laughing at. Luckily she's a fan of FT too, so I didn't just sound insane haha I hope you enjoy anyway! Please note, I think my review board is frozen once again, so if possible please PM instead of leaving notes on there, but its all lovely :)**

 **Oh and apologies for the error with the last chapter accidentally posted twice! Thanks for the feedback guys!**

 **Last chapter coming up next, for now anyway. As this runs along the main story arc, when the manga progresses the story may too!**


	4. X791 December 14th

X791 December 14th

Light snow brushed the ground, crunching under thick metal armour with every step that the requip wizard took. The light gust of wind blew back her red hair, her armour turning colder with every moment in the winter terrain, but a fire in her eyes rested and kept her warm. She had spent the past several months wandering the wilderness, pushing her limits and growing stronger, but for every piece it strengthened her body she could feel her soul a little more broken than the day before. It had been four months since Fairy Tail had disbanded and her heart still felt heavy thinking of her old friends. She held a letter from Lucy close to her chest, a constant reminder that her nakama somewhere were thinking of her the same way she thought of them, but without their presence by her side she found it harder and harder to press on.

Although the break from the guild had been one of the most difficult of challenges to endure it wasn't devoid of its own strengths. She no longer had the watchful eye of the Counsel ready to pounce and prepare for retaliation if she was to strike against a dark guild and she only had herself to protect. She was quick to enjoy not having to worry over comrades but it took a little longer for her to realise that she missed the protectiveness and even longer for her to acknowledge that there were times when she had desperately needed them. Several terrifying moments had already passed when she wasn't sure she could pull through without an ally.

With this in mind, her first thought had been with her old companions. Even if she wasn't yet prepared to pull them into danger simply for her own sake, the more that she began to think about them the more she realised that she needed to rekindle their friendship. Lucy had been her first contact, simply because she had been the easiest to contact with her constant letters. She had been excited to see the redhead but had painted such a beautiful picture of her current life Erza was reluctant to even hint to where her travels would take her next. She admitted only that it was confidential and Lucy had enough respect to not push further. After more discussion Lucy showed her the details of where her guild-members had gone, all of the locations she had sent her letters to, but the celestial wizard had had to admit that she was starting to lose more and more contacts every day and questioned how valid her current information was. With a sadness lacing her voice she confessed that she hadn't heard one word from the dragon slayer since before Fairy Tail broke away.

Regardless of the poor information, it was this that lead Erza straight to the doorway in front of her. Erza tilted her head as she looked at the notes in her hand that had described the small village's location, the rough scribble of the door that matched almost exactly. She had found it hard to believe Lucy's words, knocking several times on the wood loudly and preparing an apology for getting the wrong address.

Juvia looked up suddenly at the sound of the knock, fearing what could be behind the door. Though they had not been unfriendly to the village that they had joined and Juvia in particular had made a point to greet every one of them and place herself into their community, there had been whispers over the dark-haired man with the unusual markings. Though Juvia had done everything she could to defend her beloved she couldn't deny that they had been afraid of him and she found herself unable to form a decent defence against their fearful whispers. While she could never fear Gray, she was terrified of the markings over his body, and worried that there would eventually be the day that villagers' fears turned into panic.

She crept the door open slowly, letting sunlight drain through their small home. Her eyes turned wide. "Erza-san?" she gasped.

Gray looked up suddenly from the name. Though he had had no interest in finding out who had been at their door, the name of one of his oldest and closest friends made him suddenly step forwards, the light glinting off his eye in a violent red before slipping into the familiar cold black.

Erza looked at them both in surprise. Though this had been exactly what Lucy had described she found it impossible to believe even now. Her mouth hung open a little longer than she had wanted it to, not only seeing the unlikely pairing living together but also because she thought she had seen something strange about Gray. It almost appeared that the shadows scurried back from his skin slower than the light hitting him. She shook the thought out of her mind, thinking it must have been her imagination. "Juvia, Gray; it's been a long time," she said politely and friendly, nodding to them both and gratefully accepting the entrance to their home.

While Juvia had been a wonderful host, both Gray and Erza had been thankful to take the opportunity to disappear back into the wilderness and away from the cramped home. The breath of fresh air had been well received by both of them, the crisp winter air washing over the pair as they walked aimlessly through the vast emptiness. Though Gray had excused them saying that he would show her around the village it had been a painfully obvious lie as there was only one merchant, one fountain and fields and fields of nothing but a thick frost and a light dusting of snow. It seemed to suit Gray quite well as a winter wonderland, curiosity gleaming in her eyes as she realised that while they had all been in Fairy Tail they had no choice but to stay within Magnolia and now it was obvious that for some 'home' meant something very different.

"It's a lovely area," she commented gently, her smile partly hidden by the steam from her breath.

Gray put his hands deep into his pockets, shrugging his shoulders. "It's alright," he admitted.

She looked at him more, realising that it seemed fitting that he wasn't even excited about a place that he had chosen himself to stay. Of course, that wasn't strictly true; if any of them had had a choice then their home would be firmly within the heart of Fairy Tail. It was almost fitting that this place seemed more like a crossroads than a home. Though she wasn't surprised by any of this, she did find herself curious of his attire. While certain that he couldn't feel the cold air the same way that she could he was draped in a thick black coat and hood, much like the kind that she had seen Jellal wear while disappearing into crowds. More than once she had seen his hands reach to the hem, try to pull it back and consciously forcing himself to keep it wrapped around himself. It must have been exhausting to fight against his instincts, she realised, though she had no idea why he was working so hard towards it now. "I hadn't expected to see Juvia here," she questioned lightly, wondering if somehow the water witch had been trying to help him through his stripping habits.

Gray rolled his eyes slightly, though it was hard to see from under his thick hood. "She just turned up one day," he grunted.

Erza stopped suddenly in her tracks, staring back at him in disbelief. "You mean you're not…?"

Gray looked at her disbelief and mixed it with some of his own, a frown of disappointment twisting through his expressions. He had thought he'd made it exceptionally clear to Erza that he had absolutely no desires in that way towards Juvia, though he had also thought he'd made that clear to Juvia too. Women just didn't seem to take these things literally. "No, we're not. She turned up and refused to leave," he snapped a little.

Erza frowned as she took a step forwards, her hands tightening into tight fists. Gray was her friend and she understood his frustrations, but Juvia was also one of her friends and right now she felt a burning desire to punch Gray straight through his pretty face. "You could have kicked her out. You _should_ have kicked her out," she told him, a scolding tone and reprimand in her eyes. She imagined the rain woman doting over him, playing the beautiful wife waiting for him to come home, imagining the perfect life that she had always craved between the two of them. Letting her play along with her fantasy was cruel.

His eyes faded into thought, remembering the moment that Juvia had turned up on his doorstep all of those months ago. She had looked at him with those round, doting eyes but she had been drenched in her own rain. It had taken some time for her to find him, some time for her to pick up some of the pieces of her life and grow the courage to approach him and beg for forgiveness. His heart hadn't been able to refuse her then and to this day he hadn't been able to build up the courage to throw her out. "I know that…" he admitted, though it stung to say it out loud. He needed to push her out of his life, he needed to make it crystal clear that she had no place in his heart, though that wasn't exactly true. She was a friend, a painfully good friend, and it made everything so much harder.

"Then why haven't you?" Erza persisted, desperately trying to find a reason not to blame her friend or at least a reason to make the torture she wanted to inflict on him less intense.

He looked away, finding a tree stump close to them and taking a seat. It was a long time since he and Erza had met up and he expected there would be much that needed to be said, more than standing in the cold could warrant. His eyes faded once more into memories, knowing how both he and Juvia had been all of those months ago. "Just because I don't love her the same way that she loves me doesn't mean that she doesn't mean everything to me," he said, showing more compassion than he would have ever dared tell anyone. Juvia wasn't just a friend, but she wasn't quite a romantic partner either. She was a heartbreak waiting to happen and he felt completely responsible for the thousands of pieces that she would one day shatter into. It was as if their magic was infatuated with each other and he could feel the ice inside of him desperately clinging to the water aura but while she embraced it entirely he tried all he could to pull against the raw instincts. Even so, he couldn't completely break himself away.

Erza shook her head in growing anger, wanting nothing more than to shake some sense into him. "If you did love her then you wouldn't let her suffer this way," she said, seeing the same heartbreak ahead that Gray was desperately trying to put off.

Gray couldn't meet Erza's eyes, wishing that he could challenge and tell her that she wasn't suffering. He could see the happiness that was glowing from her, feel the light that she left with every step closer to him. It was the aura that made it so hard to break. "When Juvia first came here Fairy Tail had just disbanded. After everything that had happened with Tartarus and-and my father… I didn't trust myself to be alone…" he admitted, the words coming from the darkest shadows of his heart, words that he had hoped would never be spoken out loud. "I needed her, Erza. And I still do."

Erza's frown softened in surprise, realising that she was seeing a very raw and broken version of Gray in front of her. She had watched him battle the demons of his past, seen his violent screams, seen tears she should have never witnessed. There was no denying that he had come from a shattered world but she had not expected that those cracks had ran so deep into his day to day life. Fairy Tail had been a bandage to all of them. Slowly she stepped closer to him, realising that he had submerged into an uncomfortable silence and she had been in too much of a shock to say anything at first. Eventually she sat beside him, her mind pouring over the words that he had just told her and cursing herself for not coming to see him sooner. "You never told me what happened in Tartarus…" she whispered quietly, wondering how his father could have anything to do with it all.

He drew in a shaking breath, his entire body shivering as he thought back to the gates of hell and the disregard for life and death. There were many stories that he hadn't told Erza, he realised, but this was a tale that he had walked himself into. "There was a necromancer, do you remember him? The man with the skull for a head?" he began quietly.

Erza nodded hesitantly, already suspecting that this story was going to take a sour turn quickly. "I remember. Keyes. Juvia beat him while you were fighting the devil slayer… what was his name?"

Gray frowned. "Silver. His name was Silver. And he was once my father," he tried to ignore the look of horror on Erza's face but instead found himself staring into the memory of his father, tears brimming in his eyes involuntarily. "Keyes had resurrected him on the day that he had died. My father had never been alive, but he was there and he was an enemy. That was another reason why I allowed Juvia to stay," he said, thinking back to the way that she had begged his forgiveness. "In destroying Keyes Juvia had destroyed my father and she knew this as she was doing it. She thought that I would hate her, which couldn't be further from the truth, but the more that I tried to distance myself from her the more she blames herself and thinks it was because of that day."

Erza watched with wide eyed horror as Gray glossed over what she knew would be a truly traumatic situation. Though she understood why it would be difficult for him to have relived these horrors she couldn't help but feel hurt by the ignorance. She truly should have come sooner, she decided, and knew now it would not have only been for Gray's sake but also Juvia's. "I…" she stammered, not knowing how she was supposed to approach this. Though the mental scarring was clearly still fresh, it had still been several months and she knew that she was already picking apart a healing wound.

"Please, can we talk about anything else?" Gray practically begged her.

Erza closed her mouth quickly and nodded. "So… what's with the cloak?"

He visibly flinched. While she had been completely ignorant she had indivertibly barrelled headfirst straight into the conversation that he was trying to avoid, and he couldn't deter her without some explanation. Because the words were difficult and actions were easier he pulled back the hood and shoved the heavy material over his shoulders. Swirling across his lower arm the black marks zigzagged across his toned muscles, but in a moments noticed they burst into life. Quickly they raced up his arm, swarming and infecting his skin as it disappeared under his sleeveless shirt and bounded up his neck. Within seconds it had clawed across more than half of his face, submerging him into darkness and as his eyes opened, one gleamed a cold and calculating black and the other shimmered in a dangerous red.

Erza jumped up and fell backwards, pulling on her easiest sword to draw from the ether and holding it back. She shivered, her eyes wide and terrified as she wondered desperately who she had been speaking to for all of this time. Gray no longer looked human, more shadow than man and she struggled to find his familiar kindness in his one red eye. She had fought many demons in her life but none of them filled her with the fear that she had suddenly gripping her, but no one but a very select few would have ever been able to pull down her walls the same way that Gray had.

Gray noticed her extreme reaction but said nothing. Juvia had looked at him in fear the first time it had happened and it hadn't been anywhere near this extent. Even now the rain woman had to hold back her shaking when it consumed him and he had done everything in his power to be away from humanity if he could feel the darkness crawling over his skin. "A gift from my father…" he explained calmly, looking down at his own arm and trying to remember exactly how he pulled it back last time. "I'm still struggling to control it."

Erza hissed a breath of air through her teeth. "Devil Slayer magic?" she asked, finally recognising the lost magic.

Gray nodded, eventually pulling enough power back to pull it away from his face, though the black mark never once left his lower arm. "He said that with it we can defeat E.N.D. Apparently the entire time he was being controlled by Keyes he had been trying to break Tarturus from the inside. He told me that E.N.D. is a fire demon, which is why he took up ice devil slayer magic. Fitting, yes?" he said with a small smirk.

Erza didn't find it something worth smiling over. There was something about just being in the presence of such a dark magic made her skin crawl and she almost found herself forgetting that it was her best friend she was speaking to. "Slayer magic is dangerous, Gray," she scolded him. "You remember what happened to Acnologia. If you can't control it, you shouldn't be using it."

He frowned, feeling as if he was being spoken to like an ignorant child. "I understand that. Porlyusica made that very clear. But whether I use it or not this power is inside of me and growing and I need to find a way of controlling it before it controls me."

At least Gray had had the sense to seek outside help, Erza realised with a thankful sigh as she let her weapon disappear again once more. She couldn't help feeling as if her heart would break looking at Gray in this way, however, obviously stifled by the thick cloak that covered his strangeness. Things would get worse before they could get better and she hated to admit that if she was going into the mission she had planned next she simply wouldn't have the time to be by his side through it. There was something huge going on within the dark guilds and she had no idea how to break in and find out. "Please, promise me you'll stay safe," she begged him.

Slowly he stood and walked in front of her. He could tell that part of her wanted to flinch, part of her still kept her eyes on his blackened arm instead of the eyes that were staring at her. When close enough Gray lifted up her chin, forcing her to look back to his gaze. "I'm still Gray," he told her as simply as he could. "I am not letting this beat me. You know that I have a stronger will than that and I'm not giving up on this. But it is still a gift and I'm going to do what my father wished. I'm going to destroy E.N.D."

She blushed, realising that he was far closer than any normal friend possibly ought to have been, still with his fingers gently resting on her chin and leaning her mouth up toward his, even if that hadn't been the intention. "I didn't much think that the house in the countryside with the doting woman suited you…" she breathed with a slight smile on her lips.

He smiled back to her, realising how happy he was to have her back in his life. It had been painfully boring, painfully emotional and just plain painful. Erza could cool even him down, while at the same time drag him from his own self-destructive thoughts and back into sense. "I didn't much either," he admitted with a laugh as he finally pulled away, his eyes sparkling with new interest. "You haven't told me why you're here yet."

"Do I need a reason to be here?" she asked with a shrug, knowing that seeing her friend had been more than enough reason to come. She would have possibly been angrier at him if she hadn't herself understood what the burning loneliness could do, even if fully believing that you were strong enough to take it. "I happened to be on a mission that would take me away for quite some time. I thought that I would make sure that I caught up with everyone before I went."

"Oh." He had been disappointed. He had really hoped that this would be the start of something more consistent and almost felt as if he wanted to beg her to stay with him. Not that he would ever admit such affection or weakness, especially not in front of this woman. Though she had certainly grown up a lot from the woman that had scored him so amicably he wasn't sure that he had matured enough in himself to admit he wanted her around. "So tell me about this mission."

"It's confidential-" she began.

"No, tell me," he insisted with his arms tightly crossed over his chest. "I've shown you my secrets today, the least you can do is tell me yours."

She frowned, wondering how he had so _quickly_ realised that she was avoiding deepening into the details. In truth she only had half a plan and actually felt less than her normal confidence as she explained it to him. "The dark guilds are growing again. In fact, they never stopped growing and I think that while we're without a guild we can take full advantage of this position and try to stop as many as we can."

"You mean like Crime Socerie," he said with what he thought was a knowing expression.

There was a hurtful glare. Crime Socerie was a far more dangerous subject than he could have known. In truth it had been some time since she had even heard from any of the independent guild, including Jellal. It hurt more than she could have ever feared, but every time she found herself despairing if they were even still alive she heard of another guild that had fallen by their hands. "Even more independent than that," she said stubbornly, of course meaning that she was prepared to fight completely alone. "There is a new cult gathering but I can only hear so much from the outside. They say that they're the successor to the Balam Alliance and while I don't know much I can already tell that they are planning something huge."

"From the outside…?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow and already guessing where this was going.

Erza gave a swift nod, though Gray had known her long enough to realise that it lacked its normal conviction. "I'm planning on infiltrating their guild."

He couldn't help but roll his eyes. Of course there was still a part of Erza that was insanely logical and couldn't see the world in the same way that everyone else reached out to it. "They'll never believe you for a moment," he groaned, knowing that this was possibly one of the most dangerous things she had been willing to do and trying not to let the fear of what would happen if she hadn't come to him first creep in. "You _reek_ of goodness."

She fell backwards, amazed at just how rude he had been towards her ingenious plan. "What, do you have a better plan?!" she snapped.

He nodded, not even needing to think twice about it. "I do; Me." As he spoke the darkness spread over his body once more, leaping at the chance to be released across his skin. The temperature dropped through the air but it was more than this that sent a shiver down Erza's spine. The red eye gleamed back at her once more, the monster that was lurking just beneath the ice maker's soul shining proudly. In the moment of reveal he even had somehow managed to take off his cloak and shirt in one impossibly swift moment, revealing that the darkness rooted even further.

Erza gasped. "Your guild mark…"

"It's still there," he assured her, knowing that it stung her the same way that it stung him to see it erased by the shadow. "But I can hide it whenever I need to."

She couldn't help but feel somewhat convinced. His aura filtered through the air and for a moment she found herself unable to find the goodness through the cloud of evil. Something that she apparently _reeked_ of. She wondered absently if this was a sensation that had heightened inside of him since gaining the new slayer power, and just how similar one slayer was to another. She stepped forwards, wanting to scold him but coming up with something in between desperation and fear. "Dammit Gray this is not a joke!" She kicked her heels into the ground, coming up to him and standing tall against him, so close that barely a sheet of parchment could fit between them. "Didn't you hear what I said? This power is _dangerous_. You can't keep abusing it like this."

"Erza, I'm going to help you," he announced to her, determined and staring her dead in the eye. A few years ago he would have never, never dared to challenge the fierce woman, but now he knew how to stand on his own feet. Now he knew that protecting her from herself was sometimes more important than his fear of her. "You're right, we can only learn so much from them from the outside. There have been people from this village that have joined Avatar and I know where I can find them. I know that I can convince them I'm on their side."

She glared at him, slowly coming to the realisation that this was something he'd already been gathering himself up for. The people of this village were afraid of him not only because of his power but because it was his first step into breaking away from his good guild reputation. "It's too dangerous," she hissed at him.

"But not too dangerous for you?" he challenged her hypocrisy with his own hiss, grabbing onto her arms and staring down at her. "Erza, neither of us can do this alone. If I go in there I would need you on the outside to direct me," he admitted, though what he didn't dare say out loud was that he would also need her moral compass. He had been talking to Juvia about Phantom Lord for some time and had discovered that the most dangerous part about a dark guild was your own sense of self. Juvia had worn a frown on her face when she spoke of her old guild, but all too often she found herself slipping into saying things along the lines of 'they were for the best' or 'we had to do what was right'. Initially he had wanted to ask Juvia's help but after these discussions he had convinced himself he didn't dare. While he knew she was a lovely, kind-hearted and good person, Phantom Lord would always have a mark on her, even if it was invisible to the naked eye.

Erza glared back at him but didn't pull herself out of his arms. The idea of sitting on the outside didn't sit well with her, but she also knew that from the inside she would be powerless to take down anyone who truly got in her way. At least in this respect she could continue her hunt while he gathered intel. Still, she didn't like it. "I don't want you in danger…" she said, growing meeker in her arguments with ever shuddering breath.

Gray frowned, trying to work out exactly what was now different between them both. They had both run into danger before, both been reluctant to see the other hand themselves to death's arms, but never before had they ever physically stopped each other. Never before had he heard desperation in Erza's voice for him to stay safe. While the danger here was far more than they had ever seen, Gray knew that explanation didn't sit well with him. Did she no longer trust his strength? No, he quickly discounted that, knowing that they knew each other's capabilities better than ever. And it dawned on him that she would be on the outside while he would be inside. It was knowing that if anything happened she would be powerless to save him. With the realisation he softened, brushing his forehead against hers and holding her close. "Erza, I trust that you'll stop at nothing to protect me. You won't be far…" he assured her. "We'll get communication lacrima. Maybe we can get back in touch with Warren. We will do this smart."

Erza felt tears on her cheeks, though she had no idea when they had appeared there. She felt Gray's forehead on hers and felt comforted by the pressure even if it made her want to cry more. They weren't tears of sadness, she realised as a choked laugh escaped her lips. She was going to be back by Gray's side, maybe even Warren's too, and it felt like such a simply thing but the crushing weight of her loneliness was collapsing around her. These tears had been held back unknowingly for months. "I've missed you so much," she whispered, wrapping her arms around the ice maker.

He didn't like to hold her in this way and he hated to see her tears. Though he felt exactly the same emotions that ran through her, felt the warmth from her arms gripping as tightly as possible, he struggled to understand. "This isn't you…" he whispered, wishing once again for the warrior to be standing and speaking to him in her cold expression. He had only seen the woman in front of her a few times over the years, remembered the way that her eyes had glinted on the balcony of the Girl's Choice Ball, remembered the ruby blush on her cheeks as she told him she was prepared for him at the drained river, and quite honestly he hated her. Every time he saw her he wanted Erza back, _his_ Erza. This woman only left him with more pain and confusion fracturing his frozen heart.

She seemed to sense his tension, quickly stepping backwards and brushing back the tears with a beaming smile. "I'm sorry," she excused herself, clearly embarrassed by her sudden weakness. She took in a deep breath, blinking away the last of her tears and pulling back her long strands of ruby red hair. "I don't understand what's wrong with me. I used to spend most of my time travelling alone and I never used to be this way. It just feels different knowing that we really don't have somewhere to go back to now."

He shook his head, knowing that the answer was far more deeply rooted. The girl that he had known for years had developed a beating heart, and a love that even he could feel. "I told you, this is why I have Juvia by my side," he shrugged, pulling his hood back low down over his face to hide the shame he had in admitting his words. "She's my last piece of Fairy Tail. If I had a choice, I'd have you. I'd have Lucy, I'd have all of Fairy Tail, hell I'd ever have flame brain here," he said with a small chuckle under his breath, thinking of all of his absent friends fondly and realising that he missed them just as much as Erza's tears had shown.

Erza let out a small laugh. "Well, I hate to admit it but… I even miss you fighting sometimes," she grinned, with absolutely no idea how much she would grow to regret those words.

The sun moved over the sky, clouds hovering in the horizon and threatening a cold downpour to fill the land with thick snow. Gray and Erza said nothing for a long time, silently enjoying each other's company and marvelling at just how easy it seemed. Eventually they both sat back down on the tree stump, watching the empty world in front of them stay the same while the clouds above them continued to drift. They didn't say that it had been each other that they had missed most of all, they didn't speak of the excitement that warmed the chill in the air at the idea of once again fighting side by side, they didn't mention how amazing it was to hear each other's voices. They said nothing as Gray wrapped an arm back around her, didn't comment on the way that Erza had leaned into him and the friendly kiss he left on the top of her head. They didn't need to say a thing, they knew exactly how to slip under each other's armour and bury themselves in each other's warmth.

* * *

 **This is the last chapter for now! Hopefully when the avatar arc ends I'll remember this exists and put one final chapter to sum up how they are after all of that. I look forward to seeing what happens and when I can next jump in. I just don't like leaving this so unresolved, but as I say, I'm not going to OTP this. And I wanted to write something that could, in theory, be canon.**

 **I suspect this is the last 'romance' I will write for a while haha**

 **So here it is! Please let me know if you've enjoyed it, feel free to review, follow, favourite or PM :)**


	5. X792 January 29th

**X792 January 29th**

It was another cold day. The winter seemed to be eternal and offered the requip wizard no strength. She leaned back against the solid stone walls, her heavy metal armour soaking in the frozen temperatures and causing her skin to prickle with goosebumps. The world outside the window ledge was cold and empty, spiralling for miles of black trees that did not even blossom in the summer. Heavy grey clouds hung so low that she felt as if she could almost reach out and touch them. It was nothing more than a trick of the light, however, as her hand clutched onto the empty air.

Today would be a miserable day.

The lacrima stayed firmly in her left hand, the hours sinking past. She refused to look at it, refused to even acknowledge its existence as she scanned the ground below. She could feel her breathing heavy as her chest continued to hit her breastplate with every inhale, eyes darting across the floor. Three times Gray had missed their scheduled call. She understood that they could not always catch up at the designated times while he was in a dangerous situation, but it only made her fear grow. It was almost twenty-four hours without a word from their undercover agent and her mind was spinning. She had heard terrifying stories of a torturer inside, seen pictures the Ice Devil Slayer had managed to capture of the chamber of horrors deep beneath Avatar, and a cold sweat ran down her face.

Today, of all days.

The lacrima in her hands vibrated and crackled into sudden life. "Erza?" The word was soft but so sudden that the requip wizard almost fell from her place on the window ledge, holding onto the lacrima so tightly it might break.

"Gray," she recognised his voice and suddenly the cold didn't feel so overpowering anymore. There was a new emotion, however, one quickly replacing all concern. "Where have you _been_?" she hissed, her eyes glaring at the spot in front of her and imagining that she could see his face to rightly threaten him.

There was a pause, just long enough for her to panic that he had disappeared again. Before she could say a word, however, the lacrima glowed once more. "I'm sorry. It's been… busy," he explained. "Things are starting to roll and… I'll explain more tomorrow."

It felt like feeble excuses and Erza was torn between her kindness and annoyance. "Gray, we're meeting up."

"Erza, we can't…"

"I don't care," she shook her head quickly, pulling her legs closer to her body. "Meet me to the western entrance point Alpha. It's been too long."

There was a low grumble from the lacrima.

"I won't take no for an answer, Gray," she added, her voice firmer this time.

* * *

Meeting point Alpha was not much different from meeting points Beta through to Zeta, but it was the most commonly used for any interaction between the holy knights and the devil infiltrator. Usually it wouldn't be used as an actual meeting point, but more commonly Gray would deposit useful items or information that he had gathered and could not send via his lacrima. More rarely those on the outside would offer him items they believed would help him in his mission. Only twice had Erza actually stood in front of the Devil Slayer since his acceptance to the cult a month and a half earlier, both times within the first week when they had both decided it would be too risky. They had their communication lacrima, their set times of day and night to check in and catch up. More than once Erza had found herself chatting right through the night to Gray, discussing all parts of his mission and what lay ahead and just letting his voice wash over her, reminding herself that he was smart, he was strong and he was alive.

He also played his role exceptionally well. As he had both expected and feared, Erza was well needed as his moral compass. Long after Warren had gone to bed and the room had emptied of all other listeners Gray had found his voice breaking, asking Erza what was right or wrong, what he had to do and what he could avoid. It was in these few moments she felt regret fiercely bubble inside of her, wishing that she had been the one inside of the dark cult instead of him.

She stood upon the Alpha, letting the wild wind blow back her scarlet hair as a beacon in the bleak landscape. The area was potentially crawling with the enemy but she could handle herself. She could even make an excellent excuse, as long as she wasn't caught while Gray was in her company. Assuming her acting skills were on point.

A shadow seemed to dance between the blackened trees. Erza's eyes trained on the world before her, feeling her body tense and preparing herself for some potential trap. The darkness was coming closer, more steady than any unnatural creature and with more determination. The closer it became, however, the more she could see that the black was draining into white, with every step the lost magic releasing its hold upon the devil slayer and giving back the ice maker. By the time that Gray was in front of her, the black ink was hidden somewhere underneath his jacket. His eyes were the same dark black that she had known for years, holding the same broken kindness that she had been drawn to. Only now they were even more broken. She took a small step forwards, taking her hand in his and feeling his silence. "It's been too long."

He murmured a reply under his breath. He couldn't complain today.

The wind continued to whistle between them, the only noise between the Fairy Tail mages. He didn't pull away from her firm hold, not even looking into her eyes even as she desperately searched his. "Gray, I know what today is," she informed him, squeezing his hand as he stiffened. "I know you haven't worked this day for over ten years. I'm not going to make you do it now."

Gray didn't move, but he could feel the cold seeping into his skin in a way he didn't think was even possible anymore. Everything about this day was already painful, had been painful since Ur had died seventeen long years ago. While he had suspected Erza had secretly understood why he disappeared once a year, he had never mentioned the true reasons to her. He wasn't sure if she knew even now, but she knew enough to contact him, to bring him into the middle of nowhere and away from the darkness that had been consuming him bit by bit. A darkness that he had done so much to avoid, a fate that his master had died to seal away.

He didn't want Erza's company right now but he found his hand tightening around hers. His eyes finally lifted back to her, every instinct telling him that things that felt so kind and good ended in pain. "Erza…" he whispered. "I can't just take a day off, you know that…"

She nodded sharply. There was no pity in her eyes, he deserved more strength than that. "Even evil underlings need a day off every once in a while," she promised him. "We can come up with an excuse later."

"But the mission…"

"-Is not as important as this," she warned him, her tone stern as she took another step closer. She met his sadness, met every part of his pain with her own strength and resilience, unwavering and determined. "No mission is as important as this." No mission could be more important than his memory of Ur. No mission could be as important as spending a few short hours with a friend. Nothing would stop the requip wizard from being by his side today.

They stayed in silence for hours. They sat for a time, and eventually began to walk around. Neither told the other where they wanted to go or if they needed to pause or keep going, but somehow they felt each other's direction without words. Erza gently took the lead when she felt he was lost, accepting whatever quiet desires he had and amplifying them into real movements. Gray felt that didn't do much but follow, but he was grateful to her subtle instructions, somehow moving when he became restless and sitting still when his legs felt like jelly.

They didn't touch accept for the hand that rarely left each other's. As the hours passed, Erza finally began to say odd words, commenting on certain landmarks and how useful they would be for future operations. She spoke to him about business only, knowing that the words she said would disappear into background noise. Unexpectedly, however, he began to join in. He told her of the most recent developments to the dark guild, places that he had seen spies and the actions he expected them to take.

Once, she whispered "Gray you don't have to…" but he shook his head and continued. He had been allowed the one day to be without his dangerous work, but out here in the bleak world he didn't feel as if he was inside the prison of Avatar anymore. It didn't feel like work to just stand and talk to the beautiful woman. It felt nice to hear how her voice went faster and higher pitched as she filled with excitement, bringing the smallest of smiles back onto his own face.

Darkness spread on the valley. The day was finally over. Gray and Erza sat back to back against the damp ground, staring up at the grey sky and unwilling to admit that they should be separating. It had been too dark to assess the landscape for some time and Erza felt certain that she knew every crevasse like the back of her hand now.

"Gray…" she whispered, the softness in her breath instantly alerting him to the change of conversation. He could barely feel her back through the thick metal she wore but was certain it was tensing. Either way, the steel gave him a sense of comfort, the cold against his skin feeling just as familiar as the necklace around his neck. "I've missed you, Gray," she continued, a small tremble in her voice showing the fears that she didn't dare show through.

He understood. He knew how difficult it was for her to watch from the outside day after day. He knew how painstakingly slow his replies could be, sometimes missing his deadlines completely, and every time he did he could feel the same terror echo through her scolding. She loved him just as much as he loved her, more than just nakama but not quite enough to give it a new name. He wanted to tell her that she had the lacrima, that he was always on the end of the line, but he knew how patronising that must be to her ears. Sitting with her now he could feel how much he had truly missed her touch, the colour of her hair, the glimmer of her eyes. "Thank you," he said simply, leaning his head back as his black hair matted against her red. "I know now I couldn't have done this without you," he thought out loud, closing his eyes gently.

A small smile appeared on her face, listening to every slow breath. It felt strange that they had fought so long to just see each other and now they sat back to back, and that somehow that meant more to her than a thousand communication lacrima. "You've done Fairy Tail proud," she breathed.

His smile spread. Fairy Tail was supposed to be a name which filled him with sorrow, reminding him of everything he had had and everything that he had lost, but he couldn't bring himself to feel any sadness towards his guild. Fairy Tail was still with him, his mark was still on his chest no matter how many times it disappeared beneath the shadows, the guiding light that reminded him that he was still Gray Fullbuster. He gave a small nod, careful not to knock against her head as it rested against his. "Do you think it'll come back?" he dared to ask.

Erza thought about it for a moment, pulling her knees closer to her chest. The movement pulled her head forwards and away from Gray's, but curling into a smaller ball she found more security. "I'm certain of it," she said, but she gave a sigh. "I just don't understand why the master would abandon Fairy Tail like that…"

"He wouldn't abandon us!" Gray gasped quickly, the words flying out of his chest before he had time to catch them. He stopped suddenly, sadness filling his eyes again. The master _had_ abandoned them. He had left and forbid them from rekindling their lost connection, leaving every one of his children with a fairy shaped hole in their hearts.

"I understand your anger," Erza whispered. "I feel the same way. I'm certain every one of us does," she admitted, gripping onto her ankles and letting her vision blur. Fairy Tail held her favourite memories, her favourite people, and she wouldn't abandon it. She couldn't bring herself to believe that the master, who had experienced eight times the joy that they all had, held eight times the memories, would give up on it either. "At least we still have each other."

Gray nodded. He didn't know where he would be if he didn't have Erza by his side. He remembered when he was still going through his initial plans, back when he was debating whether to keep the ex-Phantom Lord wizard by his side or to head into the danger alone. He knew that had Erza not found him first eventually he would have just run by himself, and sooner rather than later the darkness would have consumed him. "Have you… seen Juvia?" he asked hesitantly.

Erza considered the question carefully, wondering exactly why Gray's voice was shaking. Was it for love, affection, or one kindred spirit reaching to another? Erza denied to herself the knot in her stomach hearing her icy comrade asking after another woman. "I've heard rumours that the village has not had a day of sunshine for over a month now," she said, wishing that she could abandon her mission just to go and give the water witch her best wishes, certain Gray desperately wanted the same. They had promised not to bring her into danger, however, and even just the briefest of contact could make her suspect and bury deep into the heart of their operation.

Gray grunted a small hint of recognition, the image of the rain pouring around the lost wizard as she begged for his forgiveness running through his head. He hated her rain. It matched her tears and he hated to see any woman he cared for crying.

"It won't be long now," Erza promised him, feeling his bare skin leaning further back into her metal plating. "You've done so well so far. We can take down Avatar soon, I know it."

Erza wasn't in the inside. She didn't know what Gray had seen, no matter how much he explained he just couldn't show her the things that he had witnessed and the sheer aura of strength that the dark cult portrayed. This wasn't a small rabble of rogue wizards, this wasn't just one dark guild, this was nothing short of an entire _religion_ devoted to the darkness that Gray was desperately trying to fight. Some days it didn't even feel worth fighting. The woman leaning against him was the only reason he kept going, the only thing left in this world that he knew he had to protect as she would be the first to fall if he failed. If anything happened to him, she would run into the heart of Avatar and not give up until she had taken down every one of the thousands of loyal servants, or until they had torn her limb from limb. Because she was Erza.

He turned, finally looking back to the requip wizard. The moon left very little but shadows but he could still see the red and warming glow to her silky hair, still see the blue mark against her arm. She was the only Fairy Tail wizard he'd ever met who seemed to consistently hide her guild mark, but he knew why. To her it wasn't her representation of Fairy Tail. To her, _she_ was Fairy Tail, her guildmark was the soul of Titania. Gray found himself smiling once again, gently putting his arms around her shoulders and across her body. He could feel her stiffen in surprise, surprised in himself that he would make such an open gesture, closing his eyes. "Thank you, Erza, for everything," he said again.

Her heart beat quickly. She suddenly felt afraid that somehow he would be able to feel the harsh rattle against her metal breastplate, or see the red blush of her chest in the moonlight. His chin was against her shoulder, his hands over her waist and shoulder with a securing comfort. She froze, her eyes staring wide in the darkness, before eventually letting herself soften into the unusual embrace. She leaned back against his abs, her magical energy twisting around her as she finally let her thick metal armour disappear, replaced with a soft white shirt. Now she could feel his skin, feel the rippling muscles and the steady heartbeat pressed against hers. He was breathing, he was strong, he was alive. More than this, he was still good. The darkness was not going to take him. Her hand reached to hold onto his arm, squeezing tightly against the black tattoo. Slowly, letting out a shaking breath, she let her own eyes shut. "Definitely twenty more points..." she mumbled.

"Hm?" he asked, his low mumble vibrating against her bare back and filling her with comfort.

She just smiled to herself, squeezing his arm tighter. "Nothing," she lied, praying the sunlight would stay away long enough for her to enjoy this moment.

* * *

 **Hey Fairy Tail Fans!**

 **Yeah yeah yeah, I said that I wouldn't write this until more canon came out, didn't I? I know this hasn't actually directly linked to anything canon that's happened since the last chapter, but I came up with this idea and thought it would be kind of cute. It can stay on hiatus until after more canon comes out again now. I'm sure you're not complaining at an extra chapter, right?**

 **Review, PM, follow and favourite. Mwa! xx**

* * *

 **Update:**

 **So I was going to do a new chapter but the more I think about it the more I can't help but think that this one really summarises the story. There wasn't really anything in the last arc that I feel I need to go through from a Grayza (friendship or otherwise) point of view.**

 **TLDR;**

 **THE END.**


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